


Need a Little Help

by ShyVioletCat



Series: Elorcan Drabbles [6]
Category: Throne of Glass Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: non-canon, written pre-Kingdom of Ash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-14
Updated: 2019-09-14
Packaged: 2020-10-18 04:11:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,908
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20632883
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShyVioletCat/pseuds/ShyVioletCat
Summary: Lorcan is a bit put of his depth.





	Need a Little Help

Elide had been in labour for a full day.

The first contraction had woken her just as the sun was rising and now the first rays of light of a new day were breaking once again. At the beginning the contractions had been mild and far enough apart that she had been able to rest or sleep in between, but for so many hours Elide had been walking or sitting, trying to breathe through the pain. Lorcan had hardly left her side since. And if he hadn’t been there Manon or Aelin and stepped in.

He now watched as she was bracing herself, while standing, against the footboard of her and Lorcan’s elegant bed. Breathing deep, preparing herself.

“Here it comes,” Yrene said, a hand gently resting on Elide’s lower back.

Elide whimpered and Lorcan’s heart broke at the sound, but she didn’t shy away as the contraction hit her. She groaned through the pain and her knuckles were white as gripped the wood hard.

Once the contraction finished the relief almost brought Elide to her knees, Lorcan was there in an instant, supporting her where she needed him.

“Just get it out,” Elide said breathlessly. “I can’t do this anymore. Just get it out of me.”

Lorcan looked at Yrene and she gave Lorcan a tight lipped smile.

“You’re almost done Elide,” Yrene said. “The desperation is a sign of that.”

Elide just groaned in response.

Lorcan felt absolutely helpless. He would do anything for Elide, but he couldn’t here. It was entirely up to her.

~~~~~

Another hour passed, and then two. Manon came in and told Lorcan to go and take a walk, get something to eat. He got as far as end of a hall when a desperate scream had him running back. He burst into the room in a panic eyes darting around for Elide’s location. He saw Manon’s and Yrene heads poking above the far side of the bed, Elide not in sight. He rushed forward and used the post of the bed to swing himself around. Elide was leaning against the side of the bed, a puddle of fluid beneath her.

“Her waters finally broke,” Yrene explained. “I thought I was going to have to break them myself.”

Elide was just panting, head tipped back.

“I’m so tired,” she murmured.

Manon left to get towels and Lorcan took her place and crouched beside Elide, smoothing her hair back.

“Don’t touch me,” Elide said batting away his hand. “I hate you.”

“Another good sign,” Yrene said with a smile.

“And you,” Elide said glaring daggers at Yrene, “stop talking about signs and get this rutting thing out of me.”

Yrene just chuckled and said, “I’m going to take a look.”

Manon was back with a pile of towels, cleaning up the best she could.

“I can see the head!” Yrene exclaimed.

Lorcan felt the colour drain from his face.

“Where do you want to be, Elide?” Yrene asked

“Here,” Elide panted, “here.”

“Great. Now, on this contraction I want you to start pushing.”

~~~~~

It was another hour before the cries of a newborn were heard.

“It’s a girl, a little girl,” Lorcan whispered to Elide and then Yrene was passing the squealing infant to Elide.

Lorcan was in awe of his wife, who herself looked like she was in shock.

“Well done, Elide,” Manon said as she laid a blanket over the baby and mother.

Lorcan looked down at Elide who was looking at him, her face so full of emotion. When Elide looked away from him Lorcan followed her gaze to the infant in her arms. Her face was still scrunched as if she was in anguish, Elide hushed her gently. Then she opened her eyes.

If Lorcan hadn’t already been kneeling that would have brought him to his knees. Silent tears began to gather in his eyes. She had dark eyes and they searched Elide’s, whatever they found there was enough to comfort her that her tiny features relaxed.

“Marion,” Elide whispered running a finger down the baby’s cheek.

Lorcan’s tears finally fell and with a shuddering breath he placed another kiss on Elide’s head. Then he felt a hand on his shoulder. Aelin had come into the room at some point and he hadn’t noticed. Lorcan bristled, not at the queen’s presence, but at his failing to notice her. The Queen gave him a gentle smile. He just turned back to Elide.

“I… Lorcan…” Elide looked up at him, joy, disbelief and still that lingering shock. Then her eyes fluttered and and her body went limp. Lorcan went for the baby while Manon supported Elide as she lost consciousness.

Lorcan’s instincts roared at him. Told him he needed to eliminate the threats to his wife. But this was once again something he couldn’t do, regardless he felt the feral snarl build in his throat. Common sense told him Yrene, Manon and Aelin weren’t threats but his fae instincts told him otherwise. 

Manon went on the defensive, iron nails shining. But it was Aelin who drew his attention with a stern voice.

“Cut it out right now, Lorcan. I’ve only ever given you one command as Queen. Promised not to give you another. Don’t make me break it.”

“She’s just passed out,” Yrene’s calm voice broke through Lorcan’s thoughts. “I’ll look after Elide, Lorcan. You look after your daughter.”

_Daughter._

It had all happened so quickly Lorcan had barely registered that he know held his daughter in his arms. He looked down and part of the turmoil within him quietened. But still, Elide needed him. Lorcan couldn’t comprehend or process all the thoughts, feelings, instinctual compulsions that were assaulting him right now.

“Go,” Aelin said, “go before I don’t give you a choice.”

It was Manon who came to him, hand on his shoulder guiding him to the door.

“I’m taking Elide out of the equation raging in your mind,” Manon said as she opened the door. “Shifting your focus.”

With that the door closed behind him.

In the quiet of the hall the torrent that raged within Lorcan settled, still he was crying. He couldn’t seem to stop the tears as he looked at the tiny miracle in his arms. Marion’s little face contorted and a shrill cry obliterated the quiet of the hallway.

Lorcan didn’t know what to do.

He tried to make the soothing noises Elide had and rocking the baby, but it didn’t work. Still Marion cried.

“Lorcan?”

Gavriel appeared at the end of the hallway, golden haired head peering around the corner. He must of seen the desperation in Lorcan’s face because he approached.

“I… Elide,” Lorcan’s voice was thick with emotion. “Elide passed out. I was going feral. Manon. She…” Lorcan’s words tumbled out as Marion continued to cry. “I don’t know what to do.”

Lorcan could hear the helplessness in his voice. He felt ashamed, confused and hurt that he didn’t know how to care for his own child.

Gavriel gave him a tight smile, and indicated to bench seat nearby. Lorcan followed as Gavriel sat down.

“If I may?” Gavriel held out his hands to take the baby from Lorcan.

Not trusting himself, Lorcan sat down and then passed the baby to Gavriel. Calmly and gently the Lion put the infant on his knees, unwrapping her from the clumsily folded blanket. This led a renewed urgency to Marion’s cries and Lorcan gritted his teeth against the sound. He felt so helpless. Gavriel just murmured to her and with sure hands began to swaddle her tightly. As her limbs became restricted Marion began to quieten and settle. None of this made sense to Lorcan.

Gavriel scooped up the tightly swaddled bundle and passed her back to Lorcan.

“She’s beautiful,” Gavriel said.

Lorcan didn’t have to words to express his gratitude to Gavriel in that moment, but by the nod Gavriel gave him, he was sure he knew. A breeze drifted through the hallway carrying the a scent of pine and snow. No doubt Rowan had sent this to announce himself, allowing Lorcan to decide if he wanted anyone else to approach. Lorcan looked to where Gavriel had come from and saw Rowan, and the other members of his cadre standing there, hesitantly waiting. Lorcan nodded.

Rowan, Fenrys, Connall and Vaughan all walked on silent feet and gathered around where Lorcan sat. One by one their faces split into grins.

“Marion,” Lorcan said, not taking his eyes of her perfect little face.

“She’s so tiny,” Connall whispered as he leaned in for a better look.

Fenrys snorted. “What did you expect? She’d come out walking and talking?”

“No just, Elide seemed so much bigger compared to…”

Lorcan shot Connall a look and he wisely shut his mouth. Fenrys and Vaughan were hiding their laughter behind tight lips and hands over their mouths.

Rowan came to sit beside Lorcan. “Can I hold her?”

Lorcan’s hands shook slightly as he passed over his daughter to his friend making sure to support her neck. It was all so new to Lorcan, he was terrified he would break her, his hands were rough and clumsy and Marion was so tiny and fragile.

Rowan held Marion’s body in one hand and her head in the other as he looked at her and smiled wide enough that his elongated canines showed. Then Vaughan asked to hold her, then Connall and finally Fenrys. For all his talk, Fenrys was the one who struggled the most and it took Gavriel’s reassuring assistance to hold Marion without locking into an awkward position. Marion seemed to sense his discomfort and began to squirm in his arms, a look of sheer panic appeared on his features which only deepened when Marion let out a piercing cry. Lorcan stood and took Marion back into his arms, holding her close to his chest. She stopped crying just as suddenly as she started, dark eyes resting on her father’s face.

Just then the door to his and Elide’s bedroom opened and Aelin and Manon stepped out.

“She’s awake,” Aelin said as she made her way to Rowan’s side, smiling broadly.

Without another word Lorcan hurried into the room to see Elide. Yrene was helping her get comfortable as she lay against a pile of pillows against the headboard of the bed. She smiled at him and although she was pale, tired and a dishevelled Lorcan thought she looked beautiful. He went to the bed and sat next to her and he passed Marion to her. Elide gave a contented sigh.

“I’ll just be outside if you have need of me,” Yrene said and left.

Then it was just the three of them. Lorcan, Elide and their daughter.

“I’m sorry if I scared you,” Elide said quietly. She didn’t look at Lorcan as she spoke, instead she was taking in the infant in her arms, memorising every feature.

Lorcan sidled up closer to Elide, wrapping his arms around her, enveloping his entire world.

“I’m sorry for the territorial fae bull…”

“Nonsense,” Elide cut and Lorcan could hear the smile on her lips. “There’s a child present, Lorcan. You’ll have to watch your mouth.”

That earned a quiet chuckle from Lorcan.

It was then Lorcan felt that raging turmoil within in him disappear completely. Again the tears began to fall from his eyes, not from fear, but from a profound happiness that only Elide and now his daughter could bring him


End file.
